1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to aquatic accessories; and more particularly to an aquatic accessory adapted to removably attach to a shoe for providing enhanced swim performance.
2. Related Art
Aquatic sports, and in particular swimming and snorkeling, are highly popular and continue to experience growth each year. Moreover, fins for swim use have become increasingly popular among aquatic enthusiasts.
Fins for swim use generally include a surface area that is larger than that of a human foot. Such fins are useful for providing enhanced swim performance due to an increased propulsive force resulting from the additional surface area. Thus, a user equipped with swim fins generally is capable of swimming faster, and with less effort, than would otherwise be required, allowing the user to swim longer distances while exerting less energy.
Commonly available fins are generally categorized into two forms; i.e. (i) adjustable-strap fins, and (ii) full-foot fins.
Some known adjustable-strap fins have a strap attached at opposite sides. The strap is adjustable for fitting to the foot of an individual user. These fins are worn in place of the user's shoe, thus requiring a user to remove the shoes before installing the fins prior to a swim. Certain problems exist with adjustable fins. For example, straps can loosen in the water or break, and shoes must be left behind or stored away when engaging in aquatic activity. In general, adjustable-strap fins offer minimal comfort since the foot cavity is not sized for an individual user.
Some known full-foot fins include a cavity adapted to approximate the user's foot and generally feature a rigid or semi-rigid heel counter. Problems include, for example, strict fitting requirements necessitating the costly production of a large number of different size fins to accommodate different foot sizes. The actual dimensions of the foot pocket vary widely between brands, making a proper fit difficult. In addition, some known full-foot fins cannot be adjusted for tightness or comfort on the user's foot, and shoes must be left on land or stored away when engaging in aquatic activity with the fins.
Accordingly, these and other problems substantiate a need for improved aquatic accessories.